Win at Brighouse for Town youngsters
Town’s Under-18 side were impressively fluent during their first pre-season game in dispatching hosts Brighouse Town on Friday evening.
Against the newly promoted Northern Premier League side, Town’s scholars controlled the game – particularly in the first-half – using their extra man in central midfield to superb effect.
Just days after completing his move from Limerick, striker Ronan Coughlan (click HERE) set the young Terriers on their way with two exquisite lobbed finishes to cap off good moves before midfielder Ben Atkinson – the only overage outfielder in the line-up made it 3-1 before half-time.
Brighouse battled hard in the second half, but Town kept pushing and Coughlan could have completed a hat-trick, hitting the post, before winger Jack Boyle completed the scoring.
Brighouse – whose team included former Town juniors Jacob Giles and Adam Field, as well as 37 year-old former Swansea City and Doncaster Rovers forward Jason Price – played a high line, and with first year scholar Regan Booty pulling the strings in midfield, Town’s youngsters broke through again and again in a flying start.
Coughlan and Atkinson could have scored before the Irish forward did net his first, collecting a through pass from Ben and coolly lobbing the ‘keeper from long range with aplomb.
At the other end Brighouse’s main threat was from set-pieces, with their physical power an asset, and centre back Parkinson had rattled the bar with a firm header from a corner just seconds after Town defender Danny Kane executed a superb block.
They did soon equalise from the spot when Town right back Jacob Hanson was harshly adjudged to have brought down an opponent despite seemingly getting a foot to the ball. Striker Tom Matthews sent ‘keeper Sam Guthrie the wrong way from the spot.
Town’s dominance soon told though, with Coughlan pulling off another great lob – this time from closer in on the angle – before midfielder Atkinson walked the ball into the net after a superb team move, collecting a square pass from fellow midfielder Jack Senior that took the ‘keeper right out of the game.
Both sides made changes in the second-half, but Town were the only scorers when winger Jack Boyle – playing on the left – slid the ball past the substitute ‘keeper after Town worked the ball well from right to left.
Town’s team (4-5-1):
Sam Guthrie (trialist, 46); Trialist, Fraser Horsfall, Danny Kane (Jamie Spencer, 46), Jacob Hanson; Jack Boyle (Adam Porritt, 68), Jack Senior, Regan Booty, Ben Atkinson (trialist, 68), Sheiden Rodgers (trialist, 60); Ronan Coughlan
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